Private Atonement

[Kalen Genet]

Tor Valum, Kestri | Prior Installment​

---

"Either Kestri or Kuat," Kalen muttered to himself. "Well, alright, Fett, you got what you wanted out of me. Now let's see if the rest will hold true to what you're making me do."

He'd been doing little more than grumble the last few days. His help on Ryloth had been appreciated, fighting off the slavers trying to blockade the planet, but since then—and following the host of Mandalorian vessels back to their frigid mountain-hollowing city—he hadn't been doing much. It came with the territory he currently occupied, probably; a random guy follows along back to their planet, speaking near-perfect Mando'a, and claiming to be a man who had died nearly two decades before. Helpful as he had been or not, and as much as they needed bodies, the Mandos weren't going to be entirely stupid and just take him at his word.

Especially when he mentioned Koda Fett and the vow he'd made to the bounty hunter. Go to Kestri and atone for your sins. Fett had said cowardice, but hopefully even he'd come to understand why Kalen had made the choices he had. Or perhaps he should just be glad that he wasn't shot with a stun bolt and frozen in carbonite and that was proof enough that Fett didn't find his actions entirely disagreeable. "Sithspit," he grumbled, spinning the chair around in the small room he'd been put into. Not far beyond house arrest while they took a moment to check his identity and verify his story. They'd even seen fit to take his weapons, so he couldn't at least fill the time disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling them just for something to do.

They'd even the tehk'la knives he got on Saijo. Probably just more confusion to add to the pile—the knives were given to 'Avram Mesenshuk,' the man who'd just had his bounty turned in to Kuat Systems Engineering. Dead or alive, half a million credits either way. Only finally taken out by Koda Fett after eluding capture for ten years. It was almost enough to make him laugh, if the room itself weren't so bloody frigid that he felt barely above shivering at any given moment. No, just a lot of waiting for someone to come and talk to him, so that he could fulfill the oath he'd given to Fett, and either start firing his blasters on behalf of the Enclave or get a bolt to the chest and never bother anybody again.

Every day he had to wait he started to wonder if the latter wasn't more likely.

Luckily, some much-needed distraction came around the time that thought started to coalesce, as someone knocked on his door. "It's unlocked," he called to whoever it was. "Hope you brought something warm to wear. Heat vents in here are blocked or broken, not sure which."

Lesha Priest

 

[Lesha Priest]

TAG: Kalen Genet

UNFORGIVEN​

The past year had been a bloody one.

One battle after another as the Frontier War dragged on, expanding into old Confederate space as more and more planets either called for aid or threatened Mando'ade existence. Lish hasn't even seen her own brother, Tarre Priest , for months on end as the Si'kayha were spread thin across both Enclave space as well as aiding in conflicts abroad.

She, herself, along with a small garrison of Si'kayha were holding the home front, beating back any insurgents looking to capitalise on the lack of a full force while also training more and more potential warriors to replenish those falling fighting someone else's war. And now she had to babysit an unknown guy that showed up on Ryloth and claimed to help out of the goodness of heart.

"I think he might start tearing his hair out soon, Alor'ad." Chase Bralor said from where he was standing guard outside the door.
"Good, then I can get some answers out of him now." Lesha said as she walked up, helmet under arm.
Then she gave a wrap on the door with her knuckles.

"It's unlocked. Hope you brought something warm to wear. Heat vents in here are blocked or broken, not sure which."

A dark brow lofted as Lish entered the room.
"The room is the exact temperature it's supposed to be. You'll be free to seek warmth after I get the answers I need." she said, setting her helmet on a table and taking a seat. "So let's keep it brief. Who are you and what are you doing in Enclave territory?" She leaned back in the chair crossing one leg over the other, assuming a laid-back posture, but her tone implicated that she wasn't one to beat about the bush. The unsaid message was clear.

Comply or suffer the consequences.

 

[Kalen Genet]

"Kalen Genet, back from being dead for most of two decades, no longer wearing the name of a former comrade who was killed in action far too young and stupid to know what he was doing, here to confess my sins and atone for them by joining the Enclave, at the behest of one Koda Fett."

The answer was nearly rote at this point. It wasn't even the first time he'd had to give it, though the last time had been a few days before when they first stuffed him into the veritable ice box of a room. The additional snarky emphasis, though, that was certainly new; evidence of how tired he was growing of his current accomodations. It certainly didn't help that he'd been roasting on Ryloth so soon before being thrown in the freezer.

"There shouldn't be anything surprising in any of that, and when I handed over my ship, droid, and pistols I told them all about that small war on Daluuj where Avram died. If Fett was able to piece my identity together with less help than that, it shouldn't be difficult for your people. Is there anything new, or are you just checking to make sure my story's the same?"

Lesha Priest

 

[Lesha Priest]

TAG: Kalen Genet

UNFORGIVEN​

It sounded like a recital.

It pretty much coincided with the report she was given upon the return of the Ryloth contingent, but the second rant was definitely new.

"There shouldn't be anything surprising in any of that, and when I handed over my ship, droid, and pistols I told them all about that small war on Daluuj where Avram died. If Fett was able to piece my identity together with less help than that, it shouldn't be difficult for your people. Is there anything new, or are you just checking to make sure my story's the same?"

Lish gave a snort as dark eyes regarded him for a moment.
"Unless you're a Sith or Sith sympathiser, I don't give a womp rat's ass who you are or were. If you can shoot a blaster, fly a ship or craft armour while, that's good enough for most. As for us people," she rose to her feet. "We don't just believe something just because some bounty hunter said so. You'll have to work for it." she continued.

She walked over to the door, keying in the code to open it.
"Come on, Smartass Genet. If you want to atone for your sins, you best get to work. You can start by cleaning out the Vong pit." she said with a straight face. It would be interesting to see how long it took him to realise it was a farce.

 

[Kalen Genet]

Likely substantially less interesting than imagined, given it didn't take any time at all.

"Wasn't aware you kept everybody's favourite extragalactic invaders in pits here," he said, languidly rising from his seat. "Or that they were particularly unclean. Or am I supposed to push you in first?" No clue what the guard on the opposite side of the now-open door would think of that line, or even the woman in front of him, but between smuggling and being raised Mandalorian, he'd been around the block a few too many times to fall for something that transparent.

"Some bounty hunter, though, I like that one. I'll have to keep it in mind for the next time I meet him—might get him to pull the beskad from between his shebs and relax for once." He looked out at the guard in the hall, giving a small nod. "So, where are we actually headed? If it's my execution, I do have a few last requests."

Lesha Priest

 

[Lesha Priest]

TAG: Kalen Genet

UNFORGIVEN​

Lish gave another snort at his initial comments.

Bralor bristled behind her but she waved him away before he decided to get trigger happy for no apparent reason.
"We still have a few favourite invaders, it's true. They can get quite attached to newcomers in particular." she quipped without hesitation, though the man's humour wasn't lost on her.

Leading the way out of the room, Lesha waved Chase further away down the hallway while Kalen kept rambling about odds and ends. A smirk spread on her face.
"A bounty hunter relaxing would indeed be a sight to behold. I don't even know if such a thing is possible." she said as they walked.

"So, where are we actually headed? If it's my execution, I do have a few last requests."

She forced her face to remain impassive as she instead led the way to the mess hall which was indeed warmer than the interrogation room.
"What makes you think the Vong grant requests, Genet?" she deadpanned, though it was difficult not to crack a smile. It was quite refreshing to have a sense of humour walking around between all the morbid faces and visors. It was necessary at times.

Even if he may end up getting shot by someone for it.

 

[Kalen Genet]

"You're handing my execution off to the Vong? This is outrageous." Warmer space, though, that was a good start. The smell of some sort of food came wafting down the halls in their direction, too; while they hadn't been so cruel as to try and starve him, the rations they'd given him in that not-quite-a-cell weren't the most inspiring fare. Assuming everybody else was given something at least slightly better, this might be his first good meal in a week.

Or she'd run him right past wherever he food was to someplace else entirely. Maybe they really did have Vong pits and they were going to make him earn his meal. "Will I get a knife, at least? If it's supposed to be some sort of comedic spectacle I want to take a few of them out with me. If it's not, then this isn't just outrageous, it's insulting."

He walked in silence a couple more steps, before piping up again.

"And I'll make sure to haunt you in particular for it."

Lesha Priest